Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Kingston The pain in Ayla’s eyes told me everything.

She had a mate, and he was currently cheating on her.

Rage filled me. My wolf, Lennix, growled in my head, understanding the depth of the betrayal she was experiencing. What kind of stupid bastard had the goddess paired her with?

I pushed my anger down as another attack caused Ayla to release a ragged groan. Her hands were fisting my shirt, her knuckles white as she fought the pain. I pulled her against me, wrapping her tightly in my arms, wanting to give her whatever strength or relief I could. I held her until the pain subsided, stroking her hair as she fell asleep on my chest.

That was not how I imagined my first time doing that would be.

I gently laid her back onto the bed, trying not to wake her, brushing my knuckles along her cheek. Looking at her, seeing how beautiful she was. Knowing how strong and kind she was. How was this possibly happening?

My initial rage came flooding back. Making sure she was comfortable, I stood from the bed and left the room. I ran into Nicole in the hallway.

“If she wakes up before I’m back, you call me immediately. Understood?”

She nodded, her own worry showing in her expression. But I |||

didn’t have the patience to deal with it. I stormed down the hall, rushing down the stairs and out of the facility. Pierce, my Beta, had been waiting in the lobby for me and was close on my heels as I made my way into the trees that lined the backside of the hospital.

“Kingston,” Pierce called, trying to break through my rage- filled thoughts. “What happened?”

“She has a mate,” I growled.

Pierce sighed behind me. “I’m sorry, man.”

“He’s cheating on her. I just saw him tear her heart apart.”

“What?” Pierce spat. “You’re kidding me, right?”

I wished I was. I punched a nearby tree, sending splinters through the air as my knuckles split open.

I didn’t care. They’d be healed within hours.

Was that why Ayla didn’t have her wolf?

When I asked her why she couldn’t heal, I suspected that was the reason. Lennix wasn’t able to sense her even after she became conscious. But we couldn’t tell if she simply never had one or if she had retreated into Ayla’s subconscious. I was starting to believe it was the latter. I had a strong suspicion this mate was the cause of Ayla’s entire situation.

I would make it right. Even if I had to hunt the bastard down and kill him with my bare hands. Lennix voiced his agreement. It told me something that he reacted to Ayla this way. He was growing fond of her, too.

“Her scent is still changing. I don’t know if I’ll be able to bring |||

O Chapter 11 Kingston her to the packhouse once she is released,” I told Pierce.

288 Vouchers “I’ll make sure a room is ready for her at the lodge. You can stay with her there until you can convince her to join the pack,”

Pierce said.

He knew I had intended to have her join us the moment I sensed that she was a rogue. It was a decision that was reinforced when I found out who she actually was. However, I worried it would be harder to convince her to stay because I didn’t think SHE knew who she was. And now there was a fated mate involved.

I needed to know what had happened to her, but she was so guarded I worried she would never open up to me. I could tell she was having trouble trusting me, and I was okay with that. But now, I worried about her safety.

When she thought she was still in Greytooth territory, she said “he” would find her. I had tried to get her to tell me who that was, but she evaded the question. Now I knew it had to be her mate. She was scared of him. I couldn’t let her go off on her own, rogue or not. But I couldn’t keep her here for long as a rogue. She would have to willingly join the pack.

“Are you going to tell her about her father?”

“That was always the plan,” I confirmed. “But I still want to wait until she is out of the hospital. I have a feeling it will be a lot for her to take in. I’d rather have that conversation somewhere private where she can process everything.”

Pierce nodded. “Just don’t wait too long. It will go a long way to getting her to trust you.”

I completely agreed.

3/4 |||

Chapter 11: Kingston 286 Mouche’I “She belonged to the Greytooth Pack. I want you to do some digging. See if you can find out who this mate is. I want to ensure he has no plans of coming anywhere near Ayla.”

“I can do that,” Pierce said. He hesitated a little before asking his next question. “What do you plan on doing with her after she joins?”

He had noticed my behavior toward Ayla was different. I knew he suspected my feelings for her were already more than obligatory. It was time I let him know exactly what I now had planned.

“Her mate may be stupid enough to lose her, but I’m not.”

Pierce looked at me expectantly, still unsure where I was going with this.

“I’m going to make her my Luna.“